Ecclesiastes Rabbah 8:1

¹“Who is like the wise man, and who knows the meaning of a matter? The wisdom of a man illuminates his face, and the boldness of his face is changed” (Ecclesiastes 8:1). “Who is like the wise man” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “Wise of heart, mighty in strength” (Job 9:4). “And who knows the meaning of a matter” – for He explained the Torah to Moses. “The wisdom of a man illuminates his face” – Rabbi Shimon said: Great is the ability of the prophets, as they compare the [human] form to its maker, as it is written: “I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai” (Daniel 8:16). Rabbi Yudan said: We have a verse that is clearer than that, as it is written: “And upon the likeness of the throne there was a likeness like the appearance of a man upon it, from above” (Ezekiel 1:26). “And the boldness of his face is changed” – He changes from the attribute of justice to the attribute of mercy regarding Israel. ²Another matter, “who is like the wise man” – this is Adam the first man, as it is written in his regard: “You are the culmination of perfection” (Ezekiel 28:12). “And who knows the meaning of a matter” – who delineated names for all. “The wisdom of a man illuminates his face” – his beauty illuminates his face. Rabbi Levi said: The curve of the heel of Adam the first man outshone the sun. Do not be astonished, as it is the way of the world that when a person crafts for himself two excellent trays, one for him and one for a member of his household, whose will he craft more beautifully? Will it not be his? So too, Adam the first man was created for the service of the Holy One blessed be He, and the sun was created for the service of man. Is it not right that the curve of the heel of man will outshine the sun? This is so regarding the curve of his heel, all the more so regarding his face. Rabbi Levi [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He tied thirteen canopies for them in the Garden of Eden. That is what is written: “You were in Eden, the garden of God; [every precious stone was your canopy: ruby, topaz and clear quartz, beryl, onyx, and chalcedony, sapphire, carbuncle, emerald and gold]” (Ezekiel 28:13). Reish Lakish said: Eleven. The Rabbis say: Ten. They do not disagree. The one who said thirteen interpreted [the phrase] “every precious stone was your canopy,” as three [additional materials]. The one who said eleven interpreted it as one. The one who said ten did not interpret it as any. Yet, after all this praise, [God said to Adam:] “as you are dust” (Genesis 3:19). “And the boldness of his face is changed” – when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Did you [eat] from the tree?” (Genesis 3:12), the Holy One blessed be He, too, changed the glory of his countenance, and expelled him from the Garden of Eden. ³Another matter, “who is like the wise man” – this is Israel, in whose regard it is written: “It is a particularly wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:6). “And who knows the meaning of a matter” – as they knew how to expound the Torah, forty-nine interpretations for ritual purity and a corresponding number for ritual impurity. You find that when the Israelites stood at Mount Sinai and said: “We will perform and we will hearken” (Exodus 24:7), the aura of the supernal Divine Presence was placed upon them. When they sinned, they became the enemies of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is written: “And the boldness of his face is changed.” ] is interpreted here to mean hated [ yesuneh ]. The Holy One blessed be He, too, changed matters for them, as it is written: “Indeed, you will die like man” (Psalms 82:7). ⁴Another matter, “who is like the wise man” – this is the Torah scholar. “And who knows the meaning of a matter” – as he knows how to interpret his learning. “The wisdom of a man [illuminates his face]” – when he is asked a question and responds; “and the boldness of his face is changed” – when he is asked a question and does not know how to respond. Rabbi Ḥiyya was sitting and teaching: From where is it derived that one cannot substitute for a firstborn? The face of bar Pedaya glowed. [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said: This one knows what I am sitting and teaching. A certain gentile saw Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai; he saw that his face glowed. He said: ‘This man is one of three things; either he is intoxicated with wine, lends with interest, or raises pigs.’ Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Ilai said: ‘Let despair come upon that man, as I do not have even one of the three. I am not a lender with interest, as it is stated: “Do not lend to your brother with interest” (Deuteronomy 23:20). I am not a raiser of pigs, as it is prohibited for an Israelite to raise pigs, as it is taught there: It is prohibited for a person to raise pigs anywhere. 7:7. And I am not intoxicated with wine, as even the four cups of wine that I drink on Passover eve cause my head to ache from Passover until Shavuot .’ [The gentile] said to him: ‘Why does your face glow?’ He said to him: ‘It is my Torah that causes my face to glow, as it is written: “The wisdom of a man illuminates his face…”’ Rabbi Abbahu went to Caesarea and he came from there and his face was glowing. His students saw him and ascended and told Rabbi Yoḥanan: ‘This Rabbi Abbahu found a treasure.’ He said to them: ‘Why [do you say so]?’ They said to him: ‘Because his face is glowing.’ He said to them: ‘Perhaps he heard some new Torah.’ They ascended to him and they said to him: ‘What new Torah did the Master hear?’ He said to them: ‘An ancient Tosefta was cited.’ They recited a verse in his regard: “The wisdom of a man…” ⁵Another matter, “who is like the wise man” – this is Moses, in whose regard it is written: “A wise man ascended against the city of the mighty” (Proverbs 21:22). “And who knows the meaning of a matter” – as he explained the Torah to Israel. Rabbi Mana of Shaab said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: For each and every matter that the Holy One blessed be He would say to Moses, He would tell him its ritual impurity and purity. When he reached the portion of: “Say to the priests” (Leviticus 21:1), [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, but if they do become impure, in what manner is their purification?’ He did not respond to him. At that moment, Moses’s face changed. When they reached the portion of the red heifer, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘That statement that I said to you: “Say to the priests,” and you said to Me: ‘In what manner is their purification,’ and I did not respond to you; this is their purification: “They shall take for the impure from the ashes of the burning of the purification” (Numbers 19:17).’ [Moses] said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, is that purification?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘It is a statute, and I issued a decree, and no creature can comprehend My decree,’ as it is written: “This is the statute of the Torah” (Numbers 19:2).